Dual baffled igniter for combustion chamber



June 21, 1960 R. P. cuNY ETAL DUAL BAFFLED IGNITER FOR COMBUSTION CHAMBER Filed April 11. 1955 FIG. 1

INVENTORS WILLIAM DANTRIM JR.

RICHARD P. cum DENNEN J. BUNGER WILLIAM DIETZ AMA/E) States tent C 341365 Patented June 921, .1960

2,941,363 DUAL 'BAFFLED 'I'GNIIER FOR COMBUSTION CHAMBER Richard-Jimmy, linioniffity, and'William vDietz, HillsddalgsNrL, William ID. Antrim, Jr.,.-Eastgate, Mass vhndfiennen J.,Bnnger, Whitesboro, N.Y .,.assignors .to

,-rBendix-.-Aviation .Corporation, TeteiborofNl, a corporationaof Delaware Filed Aprfi 11, 1955," Ser. TNo.$",5-38

LClaim. .(Cl. 60-3932) -ilowofi the combustible components. 'These adverse conditionsiizaveocreated difiiculty in obtaining-proper fuel KCQIIIPOHBIIP mixtures, in obtaining instantaneous combussfion,randiiniavoidingcombustion failure at low temper- ..atnres, -.-carhoniz ation, igniterclogging, and other "harm- ,zfuL-defects;

{lh eocombustiomapparatus of the present invention is designed to providehigh performance ignition ;functionv ingior startingnperations under the adverse conditions -.of. temperature-variations and fuel flow mentioned.

Thisrhigh performance is accomplished by an igniter .r-a ssernblythat includes means for retarding and'slowing ithexvelocity flow ,of .fthefuel components and for-providhighly vaporized and diffused mixture of the fuel .components, whereby instantaneous ignition takes'place -.thxzonghout the range of temperatures previously mentioned.

A further object of the invention is, therefore, to provide amovel andximprovedigniter assembly in a combustion chamber, particularly a combustion chamber of M a type whereinliigh velocity fuel component flows are *-present, and wherein ignition is required to takeplace "under a wide range. .of temperatures.

' Ano'ther -objectaof .therinvention'is to provide :means that retardihe .velocity flow ofcombustion fuel 'components'totheelectrodes of an-igniter and will diffuse the fuel componentswithone another into a highly vapor- .ized mixture.

I A moreiparticular-object of the invention isto gprovide fgainoveland improvedigniterassembly in a combustion chamber *for a hot gas --type' 1urbine engine starter of a jet aircraft.

The invention further lies in the particular structure, organization and arrangement of the various elements thereof, as well as in their cooperative association with one another for the purposes intended.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description, and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

g 2 In ed w n @Fig. .is a sectioned viewof .the igniter .assembly in combination .withtthe combustion {chamber .of a'lhot gas turbine enginestarter;

Fig. 2 is a perspective detail ofjtheinnerbafiie mem- .ber; and

Eig ..'3. is.-a perspecfivedetail of the outer bafliemeniber.

.In .thedraviirigs there @is shown .a turbine 1 that pow ers .staner-m'echanism, not shown, of .an associated 'jet aircraft engine. .ZIhetturb'ine'is of the radial impulse type, adapted 'to'bemdr'iven by 'thehotgases ofcom'bustionflow- 'ing at'high velocityJthrou'gh nozzles '2 in an'injector'head' 3 of a "fuhair combustion chamber '4. The combustion chamber, formed by acoriical she'll '5,v is closed over:'at its wider 'diameterrendibythe injector head "'3. The latter ,provides a central domed areahaving'various benefits;

the nozzles 2 are provided .in (the marginal portion of the'hea'd andincline propeilyfrornthe combustion chamber .s'icletoward the turbine blades for radial 'attackof the latter. 7 The narrower end '6 of the combustion chamber.is ofirelatively smaller diameter, and is closed over by an air inletfiowplate 7, having a plurality -of *open- .ings 18 "through which pressurized air "'is fed into the chamber at fvelocity from '-a suitable connected source. The outlet *end- 9-o'f a 'su'itab l-y supported ful SUPPIYIIIOZZIC 11 projects axially through the air fiow .plate -into thenarrow-erid 'of the-combustion chamber.

Pressurized fuel 'is "fed by suitably connectedmeans, not shown,'-through=-the nozzle '11 into the combustion chamber .The nozz'le issues the fuel into the-chamber inia conical spray, "when coniingles with the pressurized air in'flow. F lglii't ion of the "'filel-airmixture is-efiectedby an e'lectr igfiiter lz whih is supported :in the -tapered =wa11 "seer the combustion chamber -=she'll. "trite "ignitcr projects angiilarly' in "the combustion ichamber Tintoethe The 'ignit'erassembly comprises means :that :baflies, Erewards, and slows up the "velocity flow :of fthe :air-fuel other. iQne of =these -holes, .as indicated at .-21, ..is of :relativelyzlafigensize than the others. Section 17,- atthe other sidenof' lip 18,, his internally-threaded :at .22, and

-externa1ly'at':23. :Section=.17 projects-out through:the

axial-opening of a second baflie member 2-4, .andlip .18 .oflmembersflilimits againstthe inner face of :aflange, 25 formed aboutoneendof .member .24. Splines 26 on section 41,.immediately .to the left of'lip 18, engage" 'in complementary splineways 27 offiange 25'for.-assernbly ,purposesandso as to prevent the .one bathe member from turning with respect to'the other. Section 16 of baifie member 24 is held by flange 25 in coaxial spaced relation to the surrounding wall 28 of bathe member 24. Baflie member 24 includes a staggered arrangement of holes 29 around its wall 28. These are substantially opposite the holes 19 of member 15 and are of slightly larger diameter. Wall 28 of baffle member 24 is nonsymmetrical, being angularly cut away at its free end so as to provide opposed long and short wall portions 31, 32. The longer wall part 31 extends in the manner of a scoop beyond the free end 33 of bafiie member 15, while the free end of the latter extends beyond the shorter wall 32 (Fig. 1). Bafiie members 15 and 24 are assembled co-axially about the electrodes 34 of a spark plug member 35, and se rve, as will be later explained, to

bring about fuel-air vaporization and flow conditions to enable the instantaneous ignition characteristics earlier described, of the igniter throughout theusual range of temperatures of operation of the associated craft.

Spark plug 35 is of conventional make; it includes the usual electrodes 34, and has the conventional threaded shank portion 36 enabling it to be supported in a wall of a combustion chamber.

The igniter assembly is supported by the shell of the combustion chamber. To this end, the shell'is fitted with a short collar or brushing element 37 which projects angularly into the combustion chamber. Through the axial opening of collar 37, the threaded end of baffle member extends in such a manner that portions of the splines 26 extending beyond flange are received in complementary splineways as at 38 of collar 37. The several members of the igniter assembly are .held in place relative to the collar 37' and to one another by an internally threaded bushing or nut member The latter is received in the outer end of collar 37 and is threaded onto section 17 of bafiie member, 15.

and holds the several members of the igniter together.

the several elements together as a unit. V

In the operation of the device, pressurized fuel issues in a conical spray from nozzle 11 tothe combustion chamber. Pressurized air fed into the combustion chamber through the flow plate collides and comingles with the fuel spray. The fuel-air mixture is bathed in its flow to the igniter assembly by the shorter Wall portion 32 of the-outer bafl le member which projects intothe path of the fuel spray. This serves to dampen the fuel-air flow velocity and to further mix and vaporize the flow this arrangement, tightening of the bushingv 39 draws 1 of fuel-air components. The retarded mixture flows" over the edge of the short wall 32 to strike theunderside 42 of the inner bafiie member 15 whereby the fuel flow is further retarded. Eddy currents are created by fuel-air components forcing their way through the holes 29 of bafiie member 24. These eddy currentslfurther develop around the inner bafile member 15 as the fuelair components try to force through the smaller holes 19 of the latter. The retarded air-fuel mixture is further forced over the outer edge of the inner baffle to be further bafiled and scooped in by the over-projecting scoop portion 31 of the outer baffie member. The scooped in mixture flows in divers directions about theinner bafile, adding to the confusion of the circulating currents and resulting in a highly intimate and diifused vaporized mixture of fuel and air. The vaporized mixture tends to.

escape at reduced velocity from the confusion between the baffles through the smaller holes 19 and inlarge yolume through the large hole 21 of, the inner baflie to jected the electrodes, where it is ignited. This combined action of bafliing, slowing of flows, and flow diversion and confusion, serves to create the characteristics of a fuel-air mixture desired for instantaneous ignition throughout the range of temperatures of operation, 160 F. to F. Ignition is further characterized by the fullness thereof, and by a minimum of carbonization and clogging of the igniter assembly elements.

While the combustion apparatus of the present invention has been illustrated as employed in a fuel-aircombustion chamber of a jet aircraft turbine engine starter, it is understood that it is not limited to thisassociation and may be used in other combustion applications, particularly where high velocity flows are present. 7

Although an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in. detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art. Y

We claim:

A. combustion apparatus comprised of a combustion chamber having a longitudinal axis, fuel supply means positioned on said axis at one end of said chamber for introducing a conical spray of fuel into said chamber, air supply means arranged about said tuel supply means for introducing air into said chamber, an electric igniter projecting into said chamber at an acute angle to said axis, the inner part of said igniter being spaced from said fuel supply means and so arranged that the inner part of said igniter extends into the outer part of the proconical fuel spray, the inner part of said igniter including axial electrodes and inner and outer spaced bafile elements having open ends andcoaxia-lly surrounding said electrodes, said inner baflie element extending beyond the ends of said electrodes and having a ring of openings adjacent the ends of said electrodes, said outer baflle element extending beyond the ends of said electrodes and having two spaced rings of openings adjacent said ring of openings in said inner bafiie element, said outer baffle element having an inclined inner edge, the

, shorter part of said inclined inner edge being adjacent said fuel supply means and terminating short of the adjacent edge of said inner baffle element, the longer part of said inclined inner edge of the outer baffle element terminating beyond the adjacent edge of said inner battle element.

References Cited in the file of s pat UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,385,699 Fox Sept. 25, 1945 2,423,410 Simmons July 1,1947 2,493,743 Benson Jan. 10, 1950 2,679,137 Probert May 25, 1954 2,693,082 Arthur .Nov. 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 621,789 Great Britain A 2o,f1949 714,596 Great Britain Sept. 1,1954 727,781

Great Britain A r.6 '19ss 

